Arsenal were without club captain Martin Odegaard for their showdown with Chelsea, with Mikel Arteta explaining his absence as an injury setback.
Odegaard, a key figure in Arteta’s side, was not involved as Arsenal prepared to face their London rivals, prompting questions over his situation ahead of the match.
Arteta confirmed the midfielder had suffered a fitness issue, describing it as an injury setback that ruled him out of the clash. The Arsenal manager explained Odegaard was not available because of that problem, with the club taking no risks over his condition.
The update left Arsenal having to adjust without their captain for the fixture, with Arteta forced into changes as his team looked to handle Chelsea without one of their most important players.
